How to Assess Tardive Dyskinesia Symptom Improvement With Measurement-Based Care

Abstract

Clinicians now have 2 effective and well-tolerated vesicular monoamine transporter 2 (VMAT2) inhibitors—valbenazine and deutetrabenazine—for the treatment of patients with tardive dyskinesia (TD), a severe and potentially irreversible side effect associated with dopamine receptor blocking agents. Clinicians should use measurement-based care, eg, the Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale with activation maneuvers, to assess and document TD symptoms and treatment progress. Each follow-up visit should be personalized with questions related to patients’ functioning and level of distress regarding their specific TD symptoms. Family members, if available, can provide information on symptom changes and assistance with medication adherence. With continued treatment and measurement-based care, patients can experience improvement in their TD symptoms.

From the Series: JCP Fundamentals: Getting Back to the Basics—Diagnosing, Treating, and Educating Patients With Tardive Dyskinesia

To cite: McEvoy JP. How to assess TD symptom improvement with measurement-based care. J Clin Psychiatry. 2020;81(6):NU19047BR4C
To share: https://doi.org/10.4088/JCP.NU19047BR4C

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